--- title: "workflow vs astron-rpa" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/durable-workflow-workflow-vs-iflytek-astron-rpa" tools: ["durable-workflow-workflow", "iflytek-astron-rpa"] --- # workflow vs astron-rpa *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick workflow if core package for defining and running durable workflows in PHP with support for long-running tasks, retries, queue management, parallel execution, workflow monitoring, and orchestration; pick astron-rpa if astron-rpa integrates AI agents for robust automation in various environments using Java, with a focus on data privacy and security compliance. [workflow](https://durable-workflow.com) reports 1.2k GitHub stars, 79 forks, and 6 open issues, last pushed Sep 12, 2026. [astron-rpa](http://www.iflyrpa.com) has 5.5k stars, 598 forks, and 58 open issues, last pushed Sep 16, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [workflow's repository](https://github.com/durable-workflow/workflow) and [astron-rpa's repository](https://github.com/iflytek/astron-rpa). | | [workflow](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow.md) | [astron-rpa](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Core package for defining and running durable workflows including support for long-running tasks, retries, queue management, parallel execution, workflow monitoring, and orchestration. | Agent-ready RPA suite with automation tools for various environments | | Stars | 1,246 | 5,542 | | Forks | 79 | 598 | | Open issues | 6 | 58 | | Language | PHP | Python | | Adopt for | Core package for defining and running durable workflows in PHP with support for long-running tasks, retries, queue management, parallel execution, workflow monitoring, and orchestration. | astron-rpa integrates AI agents for robust automation in various environments using Java, with a focus on data privacy and security compliance. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | Developer Tools | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [workflow](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow.md) | [astron-rpa](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Active (82%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 7d | 4d | | Open issues (now) | 6 | 58 | | Stars delta | +15 (30d) | -268 (30d) | | Open issues delta | +6 (30d) | +15 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa/trust.md) | ## Shared compatibility - **Python**: [workflow](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow.md) - Python runtime; [astron-rpa](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa.md) - Python runtime ## Decision facts: workflow - **Adopt for:** Core package for defining and running durable workflows in PHP with support for long-running tasks, retries, queue management, parallel execution, workflow monitoring, and orchestration. ## Decision facts: astron-rpa - **Adopt for:** astron-rpa integrates AI agents for robust automation in various environments using Java, with a focus on data privacy and security compliance. ## Choose when ### Choose workflow if… - workflow is primarily PHP; astron-rpa is Python. - License: workflow is MIT, astron-rpa is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to workflow: background-jobs, bpm, bpmn, durable-functions. - When your project requires handling long_running persistent workflows in PHP ### Choose astron-rpa if… - astron-rpa is primarily Python; workflow is PHP. - License: astron-rpa is Apache-2.0, workflow is MIT. - Tags unique to astron-rpa: agent, ai, astron, automation. - Also covers AI Agents. - For enterprises that prioritize security compliance and need self-hosted solutions to maintain control over their data. ## When NOT to use workflow - If you prefer tools not anchored in PHP for workflow management - When project requirements do not include orchestration capabilities for microservices or sagas - For simpler workflows that do not require advanced retry mechanisms and parallel execution features ## When NOT to use astron-rpa - If your team or organization is not comfortable working within the restrictions of Java, preferring multi-platform support or another programming language. - For projects where immediate access to third-party APIs is crucial and self-hosted solutions may add unnecessary layers of complexity in integration. - When strict operational requirements demand real-time task visibility that astron-rpa's architecture does not natively support without significant customization. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between workflow and astron-rpa? workflow: Core package for defining and running durable workflows including support for long-running tasks, retries, queue management, parallel execution, workflow monitoring, and orchestration.. astron-rpa: Agent-ready RPA suite with automation tools for various environments. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose workflow over astron-rpa? Choose workflow over astron-rpa when workflow is primarily PHP; astron-rpa is Python; License: workflow is MIT, astron-rpa is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to workflow: background-jobs, bpm, bpmn, durable-functions; When your project requires handling long_running persistent workflows in PHP. ### When should I choose astron-rpa over workflow? Choose astron-rpa over workflow when astron-rpa is primarily Python; workflow is PHP; License: astron-rpa is Apache-2.0, workflow is MIT; Tags unique to astron-rpa: agent, ai, astron, automation; Also covers AI Agents; For enterprises that prioritize security compliance and need self-hosted solutions to maintain control over their data. ### When should I avoid workflow? If you prefer tools not anchored in PHP for workflow management When project requirements do not include orchestration capabilities for microservices or sagas For simpler workflows that do not require advanced retry mechanisms and parallel execution features ### When should I avoid astron-rpa? If your team or organization is not comfortable working within the restrictions of Java, preferring multi-platform support or another programming language. For projects where immediate access to third-party APIs is crucial and self-hosted solutions may add unnecessary layers of complexity in integration. When strict operational requirements demand real-time task visibility that astron-rpa's architecture does not natively support without significant customization. ### Is workflow or astron-rpa more popular on GitHub? astron-rpa has more GitHub stars (5,542 vs 1,246). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are workflow and astron-rpa open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (workflow: MIT, astron-rpa: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to workflow or astron-rpa? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [workflow alternatives](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow/alternatives) and [astron-rpa alternatives](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa/alternatives) ([workflow markdown twin](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow/alternatives.md), [astron-rpa markdown twin](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/durable-workflow-workflow-vs-iflytek-astron-rpa.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, workflow or astron-rpa? workflow: Active. astron-rpa: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for workflow and astron-rpa? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [workflow trust report](/tools/durable-workflow-workflow/trust); [astron-rpa trust report](/tools/iflytek-astron-rpa/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=durable-workflow-workflow`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=durable-workflow-workflow) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_